Chapter 304: The Grand Opening (5)

"How could I forget..." Riley stopped right beside their table and looked directly at Sienna. "Here, my present for you..."

He handed her a black paper bag, and Sienna accepted it with a surprised smile.

"Thank you, Riley..." She glanced inside the bag briefly before looking back at him. "But seriously, you didn’t have to buy anything. Just coming here and becoming our loyal customer is already the best gift for us."

"Hahaha, don’t worry. I’ll be a loyal customer, and I’ll even tell anyone to come here, too." Riley casually slipped one hand into his trouser pocket before continuing. "No need to feel bad... Those are only ordinary decorative items for your office."

"How about Ava and me?" Mia said, giving Riley a curious look, then playfully adding, "Tsk, tsk... You didn’t even think to bring presents for us?"

"Of course, I brought good stuff for you and a present for Ava, but I left them in my car. I will give them to you once the café closes later..."

Mia grinned while raising two thumbs up to praise him. "Now, this is the Riley I know...so generous!"

Riley shook his head and smiled.

"Once again, thank you, Riley..." Sienna said sincerely as she stood up. She gestured toward the stairs. "Alright, let’s go upstairs. I’ll bring you to the family VIP room."

Riley looked toward the stairs but didn’t immediately move.

Sienna had already taken a few steps when she noticed he wasn’t following her. She stopped and turned back to him, a faint frown appearing on her face.

"Why? You look reluctant," she asked, puzzled to see him hesitate.

Riley sighed heavily, as though he had been waiting for her to notice. "Sienna, can we book another room just for us? I mean... I don’t want to sit at my family’s table. I simply want to have fun with you and the others."

Sienna chuckled and gently punched his shoulder. She wasn’t even slightly surprised by his request. Riley had come to enjoy himself, not spend the entire evening sitting with his family.

"Alright, let’s go. I’ve already prepared a room," she said. "But we can’t accompany you for the rest of the night. We’ll be moving around the place to make sure everything runs smoothly."

"Sure. I will stay here until you close..." Riley smiled, apparently satisfied with the arrangement.

He walked beside Sienna as they headed toward the stairs and climbed to the second floor, while Mia followed behind them.

With the evening still going smoothly, Sienna felt a little more at ease knowing the guests were enjoying themselves. However, she still had no intention of letting her guard down. Much more of the night remained, and she wanted to make sure everything kept running smoothly.

...

The grand opening ended successfully.

Almost all the guests had left The Secret Garden, and only a few people remained, including Zachary. He was still waiting for Sienna to finish her brief meeting with her team before they could leave together.

The café’s seating area was already empty and quiet. Only a few staff members remained, cleaning the tables, swapping the floors, and putting things back in order.

Most of the lights were off, leaving only a few lamps lit. The dim lighting made the place feel quieter than it had earlier in the evening. Still, it gave the café a warm, comfortable atmosphere.

Zachary sat alone at a table in the corner, looking at something on his cell phone while waiting. He had been there for several minutes when someone called his name, pulling his attention away from the screen. He looked up and saw Riley walking toward him.

"You’re still here?" Zachary asked as Riley pulled out the empty chair across from him and sat down.

"Yes." Riley shrugged casually. "I promised them I would stay until they closed."

Zachary held Riley’s gaze for a moment. Riley looked relaxed, almost too relaxed for someone who had an important military project hanging over his head.

When Riley seemed ready to say something, Zachary spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of sarcasm.

"You still have free time and seem relaxed while the military project is ongoing?"

Riley smiled meaningfully and crossed his arms over his chest. Even under Zachary’s cold gaze, he looked completely at ease. "Are you worried I won’t win the project, Uncle?"

"Yes. I’m worried your dad will have another reason to boast about your failure," Zachary replied calmly.

Riley laughed, seemingly unaffected by the remark. "Hahaha, Uncle, no worries. Everything is under control." He smiled broadly, and there was complete confidence in his voice, as though he had already seen the final result and knew exactly how it would turn out.

"You sound confident, even though the announcement won’t be made until Monday."

"Well, I know my team, and I know we’re capable," Riley said proudly. He didn’t sound arrogant so much as certain of himself and the people working with him. He had clearly put a lot of faith in his team, and he wasn’t about to let Zachary’s doubts change his mind.

Zachary simply nodded. He didn’t ask Riley anything else about the project or challenge his confidence. Instead, he lowered his gaze back to his cell phone and continued reading, deliberately ignoring his nephew as if he were alone at the table.

The silence between them lasted for several moments before Riley spoke again.

"Uncle," Riley said, breaking the quiet. "You should warn your friend, Kevin Richardson, not to be disappointed when the announcement comes."

Zachary slowly looked up from his phone and met Riley’s eyes. A small chuckle escaped him, but there was little humor in it. "Well, I’m not your messenger. You should tell him that yourself."

His tone had changed. The earlier sarcasm was gone, replaced by a coldness that made the atmosphere around them feel noticeably heavier.

Riley’s smile faded slightly as he continued looking at his uncle. Neither of them looked away. The casual conversation from a moment earlier had turned into something much more serious, with an unspoken challenge hanging between them.